


A Snowy Escape

by MarshmallowMcGonagall



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: A Walk in the Snow, Bad date, Fluff, Hot Chocolate, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-04
Updated: 2020-02-04
Packaged: 2021-02-27 22:15:46
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,580
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22553119
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MarshmallowMcGonagall/pseuds/MarshmallowMcGonagall
Summary: Theodore rescues Neville from a first date with Zacharias Smith which is going from bad to worse. With snow falling around them, Theodore takes Neville to get hot chocolate and they find their nighttime stroll through Diagon Alley taking them somewhere new.
Relationships: Neville Longbottom/Theodore Nott
Comments: 6
Kudos: 53





	A Snowy Escape

**Author's Note:**

  * For [CheekyTorah](https://archiveofourown.org/users/CheekyTorah/gifts).



> CheekyTorah gave me this prompt:  
> Pairing: Neville/Theo  
> Prompt: Neville is set up on a (HORRIBLE) date by Draco and Harry and half way through said horrible date ends up on a date with Theodore Nott.  
> Bad date: Zacharias Smith (hufflepuff puff) or Anthony Goldstein (ravenclaw) could talk about themselves a lot and be a jackass to the server whatever you like that makes the date terrible..  
> Details: post war/post Hogwarts
> 
> The fic which follows is a lightly tidied up version of what emerged on Discord.

Neville's attention was torn from the window by Zacharias clicking his fingers to get the waiter's attention. Neville shot the waiter an apologetic smile and was met with a nod and a tight smile in return. Zacharias segued from the story of how he had turned down an offer to play for a top European quidditch team to telling the waiter that the sommelier needed to apologise for the choice of wine because there was no explanation for why a French red should have arrived with the meal. Neville thought the quidditch team might have been based in Luxembourg or Portugal but he had lost interest some time after Zacharias's second discussion with the sommelier. Neville picked up his wine glass and peered past the waiter to see the sommelier in question seething.

The waiter's sigh was one of great restraint and Neville's mouth quirked when he saw the waiter's hand twitch in the direction of his wand, the length of wood just visible beneath the crisp white shirt. As it was, the waiter kept to polite niceties and suggested that if Zacharias wasn't content with the sommelier's choices, then he was welcome to choose his own. Neville was contemplating the ways he would make Draco and Harry's lives miserable for setting him up on this date. It wasn't a blind date so much as them suggesting there was someone he might like to meet followed by a suggestion he dress nicely. They'd promptly bailed on dinner moments after saying Zacharias was waiting inside for him. Neville wondered if he could sneak a Venemous Tentacula into their bedroom without them noticing. Zacharia's rising voice snapped Neville to attention and he didn't know how much longer he could endure this specific form of torture when there was a cough from behind Zacharias and Neville looked up to see Theodore Nott standing there with a politely wicked smile.

The cough should have been of little consequence in the busy restaurant yet Zacharias's back straightened like someone had poured ice down his shirt. He turned sharply to look up at Theodore. 

"Get out," said Theodore. He didn't have his wand in hand, his arms were crossed, and he was dressed in a crisp shirt that had the top button left undone. By Zacharias's reaction, however, Theodore could have been Voldemort reincarnated. Zacharias jumped up from his seat, knocking into the waiter in his desperation to leave. Neville, Theodore, and the waiter watched Zacharias run into the snowy night, the door slamming shut behind him. The other diners did little more than to glance up at the commotion before returning to superb wine choices, delicious food, and gossip fodder which would last several days.

"What did you do to him?" said Neville, turning back to Theodore and laughing in disbelief.

Theodore looked at the ground, then glanced up at Neville, a guilty laugh spilling from his own lips. He looked at the waiter and nodded towards the kitchens where the waiter gratefully fled. Theodore sat down where Zacharias had been and leaned back in the chair assessing Neville without any qualms about being subtle.

"Zack didn't realise I bought this place," said Theodore. "Well, not until now." He picked up the wine glass and sniffed the wine before putting the glass back on the table. "He knew I'd been thinking about it but he cheated on me before I ever put in an offer."

"You got as far as actually dating him?" said Neville. Theodore threw his head back and laughed with abandon. He sighed and looked at Neville before rubbing his jaw. Neville swallowed nervously. "I mean, you don't have to tell me, it's your business, Zack and the restaurant, it's - "

"I think dating is perhaps too strong a word," said Theodore, eventually, head tilting as he made another slower assessment of Neville. "We were well acquainted and you're right, I don't know why I dated him." He frowned. "No, I do know why I dated him, it's because a certain wanker thought I needed to work on my love life."

"That wouldn't be a wanker called Draco Malfoy, would it?" said Neville.

Theodore extended his hand across the table and Neville reached out to take his hand. The grip firm, they shook.

"How he landed Potter, I'll never know," said Theodore, letting Neville’s hand go.

"Oh, Harry was part of the plan," said Neville. "This was meant to be a nice dinner and then they bailed on me."

"The bastards," said Theodore, looking a little guilty when he laughed. "Promised you a good time did they?"

"They suggested there was someone I might like to meet," said Neville.

"And you were landed with Zack," said Theodore. He nodded and looked around the restaurant. "Well, seeing as my staff aren't going to forgive me for letting Zack in here, how about we find somewhere else?"

Theodore stood up and walked away without an answer. He came back with Neville's coat and another which he shrugged on. Theodore stepped closer and sorted out the lapels of Neville's jacket and slung a scarf around Neville's neck.

"Can't have you getting cold," said Theodore. "Come on, the sommelier is threatening a mutiny if I subject him to someone questioning his skills again."

"I - I could just go home," stammered Neville. "Really, it was a bad date, that's all." And yet there was something stirring in Neville as Theodore patted him on the back and guided him towards the door. A suggestion in his touch that he wanted to do this, not out of guilt or pity but because he simply wanted to.

"In which case," said Theodore, "I need to make up for how you were treated in my place of business."

Neville fought to smile as Theodore opened the door. Maybe his gut was wrong, maybe this was out of guilt or pity. Theodore didn't want bad news being spread about his restaurant, he would want the world to know that he took care of those who came through the door in search of a good time. A good time. Neville's gut squirmed. He didn't want to be a good time, either. He was fed up of good times. He wanted good days, good weeks, good months. Theodore's hand was still on his back and Neville felt Theodore nudge him gently and he realised how close they were standing. 

"Come on," said Theodore, his smile soft.

Snow fell lazily around them as they stepped out into Diagon Alley. This late at night there were few tracks through the fresh snow and the sky glowed with the snow clouds despite the hour. The torches which lined Diagon Alley cast the night in pools of gold.

Theodore's hand moved from Neville's back to slip through his arm. The side of Neville's mouth pulled up in a smile. He missed this. He missed this as he wondered if he'd ever really had it. A comfortable closeness. An easiness. But this was business, not a date, not - not anything else.

"Where are you planning to take me?" said Neville. "Nowhere is going to be open."

"Neville," groaned Theodore, "you were just in a very open and busy restaurant, I assure you there are other places which are open." Neville looked at the ground and watched their feet kicking up the snow, the fine leather shoes they both wore coated in snowflakes. He smiled in spite of himself. "Now I grant you that these other places aren't going to be as fine as the place which you just left but you can't hold that against them."

"Fine?" said Neville. "I heard the sommelier doesn't know his French red from his white."

"Don't," muttered Theodore. "I'm not sure he'll ever forgive me for letting Zack in."

"Letting Zack in?" said Neville. "I didn't even see you until, well, until Zack left."

"He'll claim I should have given the maitre d' a photo like I'm running a pub down Knockturn Alley."

Theodore nudged Neville and they turned down a smaller wynd which led off Diagon Alley. There were fewer torches to light the way, but in the glow of falling snow they found their way easily enough. They walked in silence for a few minutes until Neville knew he may as well put his foot in it sooner rather than later.

"So," said Neville, "the war."

"Not a Death Eater, no convictions, still guilty as fuck in the eyes of the world." Theodore had stiffened but still kept his arm in Neville's and Neville reached up without thinking to stroke Theodore's arm with his free hand. That stole a rise from Theodore and Theodore looked at him blinking furiously before looking back at the lane.

"There were bad people on both sides," said Neville, quietly. "I - I'm not a delicate flower, I just, I want you to know that."

"You're not a Ghost Orchid, I get it," said Theodore. "I do know what happened at the Battle, Neville."

"How do you know about Ghost Orchids?" said Neville, stunned.

"I know a lot of things, Longbottom," said Theodore. "Look." With his free hand, Theodore pointed at a small shop front which was lit with candles and had a number of tables inside.

Theodore pushed the door open. It was a small wooden door with peeling blue paint and a sign above which might have been a bird, a flower, or an icecream sundae. It was hard to tell in the low light but the door was small and Theodore slipped his arm from Neville's and took, apparently without thinking, Neville's hand in his, leading him inside.

"Hello," said a dreamy voice, and Neville turned to see Luna Lovegood standing behind a small counter. 

The small room couldn't be called a restaurant or even a cafe, yet there were tables and chairs. A couple of armchairs beside a fire and a sofa along one wall. There were bookcases around the edges of the room and the only light was from the candles and the fire.

"Luna," said Neville. "What are you - what is this - how are you?"

"It's snowing," said Luna, smiling serenely, "and the moon is happy."

"Precisely," said Theodore. "Can we have two hot chocolates to go?"

"Before the moon sets!" said Luna, before disappearing through another door which Neville could have sworn wasn't there before.

Neville leaned towards Theodore, his lips almost brushing Theodore's ear, and said, "How is this place even open this late at night?"

"You heard them," said Theodore, "the moon is happy." Theodore bit his lip as he turned and glanced at Neville's mouth. "This is Luna, did you really expect them to have a place which had ordinary opening hours?"

Neville laughed and realised how close he and Theodore were. And instead of stepping back he squeezed Theodore's hand, causing Theodore's smile to grow.

Luna reappeared, coming around from behind the counter to hand Theodore and Neville two hot chocolates in flasks decorated with painted nargles. Between trying to take the flasks and digging Galleons out of pockets, Theodore and Neville were forced to let go of each other. Each holding a flask, they held out Galleons to Luna who tilted their head and raised their eyebrows. 

"Why would you think I'd charge you?" they said.

Theodore and Neville laughed, and Theodore leaned closer to kiss Luna on the cheek. They looked at Neville and raised an eyebrow. Neville chuckled and leant in to kiss them on the other cheek.

"Now go," they said. "It's snowing and hot chocolate is best enjoyed in the snow."

"Thank you," said Theodore, going to take Neville's hand before realising they would run into the same problem they had when trying to juggle Galleons. Someone would need to open the door. "Luna?"

"Thank you," said Neville, his cheeks burning gently as Luna opened the door. Theodore led him outside and the door closed behind them. "How does Luna run a business without charging?"

"The problem is you're asking how Luna does anything," said Theodore. "They know what they're doing." He looked suddenly nervous and his smile wobbled for a moment.

"You get hot chocolate often?" said Neville, trying to come off casually and knowing he had asked with no subtlety whatsoever how often Theodore took nighttime strolls with people who might be considered acquaintances, depending on how they treated his sommelier.

"I go there a lot," said Theodore. "But never with anyone." He shot a glance at Neville. "Luna and I go way back and we usually - we sit by the fire and play cards - really, that's it." He swallowed and took a deep breath. "I mean, apart from all the time they spend telling me about the next expeditions they're planning to find another Crumple-Horned Snorkack."

"They're still looking for that?" said Neville, missing how Theodore shot him a pleading look as he chewed his lip. 

"Yep," said Theodore.

"Where would we be without Luna?" 

"Quite." Theodore rolled his eyes and Neville watched the snow falling around them. They had stopped walking when the torchlight bloomed into an orange glow which filled a small cobbled square with a monument in the middle.

"Where is this?" said Neville, glancing back down the lane. His brow furrowed before he turned back to look down the wynd. He sipped his hot chocolate and glanced at Theodore. He couldn't stop thinking about how comfortable Theodore's hand was in his. There was something about his hand in his which just fit. Their pace as they walked. The comfort in the quiet moments. He didn't know how much time had passed since they had left the restaurant. The restaurant? With waiters bustling around the talking diners, the restaurant felt as though it belonged somewhere else. Not in this place where snow crunched beneath their feet, where their coats brushed against each other, where Neville noticed Theodore's ears had gone red from the cold.

"It's a private wynd," said Theodore. "The entrance was the archway by Luna's." He downed too many mouthfuls of hot chocolate and did his best not to splutter as he swallowed and tried to keep his composure. This was going swimmingly, he thought, as he averted his gaze and tried to lick his lips of hot chocolate without looking quite as stupid as he felt.

"Private?" said Neville. "Like for residents only?" Theodore nodded, glancing up at the glowing sky as he licked his lips a second time, still tasting the sweetness on his lips and unsure if he had hot chocolate all over his face.

"My," Theodore took a deep breath, "my place is here." They stopped in front of a townhouse which had garlands wrapped around the metal bannisters which flanked the stone steps. The door was a deep green and Theodore didn't know if it was good or bad when he saw Neville's gaze land on the door knocker shaped like a snake.

"So who will you be disturbing when you get in?" said Neville, taking another sip of his hot chocolate.

"You're not stupid, Neville."

"No but I am nervous as fuck."

"Neville?" Theodore turned to face Neville and realised he really didn't care if his lips were sticky with hot chocolate. "Can I kiss you?"

"If I say yes, can we do it again indoors, too?"

Theodore laughed and pressed his lips to Neville's. Neville deepened the kiss, tasting hot chocolate as the snow fell around them and the moon appeared between a break in the clouds.


End file.
